[1] Bristol's jews lived a mile east in the centre of the town, initially around the head of the harbour - an area that was later known as the Old Jewry.

Life expectancy at birth in pre-modern societies rarely exceed forty, with at least 2.5 per cent of any community dying each year.

Founded in 1586, the school had previously been based in the centre of the city, but decided to move to a new, greener site, on the edge of Clifton.

Apart from two small additions (QEH Theatre) and a southern annex, both acquired in the later twentieth century, the school's boundary is still that of the Jews Acre.

Writing in 1861, the historian George Pryce discussed 'the “Jews Acre”, or burial ground, where now stands Queen Elizabeth's Hospital, on digging the foundation for which, a few years ago, a number of gravestones were found, with inscriptions in Hebrew characters; they were, however, thoughtlessly used in the building'[6] This became a source of humour in Victorian Bristol, it later being noted that 'Many gravestones with Hebrew inscriptions were discovered when that building [QEH] was about to be erected, which led our Wits to assert that whatever else the boys lacked, they would always have a good Hebrew foundation.